Good Enough
by Susano'o no Kenshin
Summary: It wasn't easy for Raleigh to accept the fact that Chuck died in the explosion of Striker Eureka. He just couldn't believe that the late Marshall Pentecost would break his promise to Herc like that. There has to be some way that he had escaped, because without the young australian, Raleigh felt he might never be complete again. Rated M just to be safe. Also REALLLLY fluffy to start
1. Under your spell again

Good Enough

Hey guys. So Yes, I'm starting to branch out a bit with my fanficiton, I'm now going to have quite a bit of fic options open for those of you who enjoy different types of Fics. I had the idea of this fic after reading some really good Fanfiction in the Pacific Rim Section, namely "Lonely Ghosts" by kearlyn, "Call Me over to the other side" by the same author, as well as "Travelin' thru" by TheGodMachine, and finally "Fall Apart" by Darikiema. You guys should go give those stories a read if you've watched Pacific Rim. They are all where I've drawn my inspiration for this story, as well as the song "Good enough" by evanescence. :D so I hope you guys enjoy my attempt at something that's not star fox.

Warnings: yes, This is Yaoi/Slash/Male-Male/Whathaveyou. So if you don't like it, I'm sorry, I can't really write anything else. And for two: this is a very slight AU in which Chuck Hansen Managed to live, it'll be explained later on in the story.

Pairings: Chuck Hansen/Raleigh Beckett. And a few small others that will be mentioned, but the focus is the Raluck.

* * *

Raleigh sighed to himself as he paced around his room, it had been only a sparse few hours since he was rescued from Gipsy Danger's escape pod, and all of LOCCENT was celebrating. All except for Raleigh himself, and his partner Mako. Raleigh was too busy thinking of a certain ginger-haired Australian. Mako's smaller hand on his shoulder snapped him out of his thoughts.

"You want to get out of here and maybe grab some food to get your mind off of him?" the smaller Japanese woman smiled softly at her co-pilot. She always did know how to make Raleigh feel better. A small and dejected smile left Raleighs lips as he turned his back to the rest of the celebrating community and followed the small woman to the mess-hall. He wasn't sure what she thought this would help, but he did admit, it made him lose himself in the gun-metal grey of the walls of the shatterdome. Pretty soon the smells of the mess hall came hitting his nose. He was glad it was an a-la-carte sort of mess hall, where he could pick out the things he wanted. Mako and him both parted a bit to pick out their respective plates of food, and they met to grab a table in the corner of the empty mess hall.

"I know he's on your mind, Raleigh. I was in your head when it all went down." Mako broke the silence after a few bites of her food, a typical teriyaki katsudon. _ It suits her._ Raleigh thought. He couldn't help but nod.

"Yeah. I just don't think that Chuck is dead. Pentecost promised Hansen and I don't think he could break such a promise." Raleigh sighed, poking at the mashed potatoes on his plate next to the small steak it was sharing space with. "So he's gotta be out there, no doubt about it." He murmured. It took all he had to not just crumple in a moping heap right there.

"The late Marshall was not one to break promises, especially not to those as close to him as Hercules Hansen. Although we have no way to know that Chuck is alive." Mako sighed, chewing on a piece of fried beef as she collected her thoughts. "if we could find a way to access a way to search for the escape pod's signal from Striker Eureka, then we might be able to see if he made it out." She tapped her chopsticks on the side of her bowl gently. "but getting that technology discreetly would be rather difficult."

"I'd do what it takes to find him." Raleigh stated, turning his head to hide the faint blush on his face. He had only just come across the revelation of his feelings towards the Aussie, but it had hit him like a brick. He was totally smitten for the Australian, and he had only just realized it too late. His mind still played over the last conversation he and the ginger had before they had gone off to operation Pitfall.

* * *

_Raleigh sighed as he stood on a balcony overlooking the ocean in the shatterdome, lost in his memories._

"_you're in my head kid." He would hear from Yancy, a ghost of his older brother that haunted him to this day. It kept him from noticing the heavy familiar gait of footsteps from behind him until the owner was right beside him. Raleigh glanced to his side and noticed the Australian man standing next to him. Not a word was exchanged between them for a while, until Chuck decided to break the silence._

"_So I guess this might be our last words to each other." He started, speaking rather slowly, deliberately. As if he was gauging Raleighs reactions. When Raleigh nodded solemnly he continued. "So I wanted to say… I'm sorry, I guess. I know we didn't start off on the right foot, but I hope we can sort of end it on the right foot." He drawled a bit, noticing the way the other man gave him a small, almost unnoticed smile. _

"_It's okay, Chuck. You don't need to apologize for you being you." Raleigh chuckled softly, almost whispering his statement to the slightly younger man. "And I don't want you to feel like this is the last time we'll see each other. We'll survive through this, because on my honor as Gipsy Danger's pilot, I won't let you die. We are pilots, comrades." He smiled up at chuck, a true, genuine smile that made something in the younger pilot warm up instantly. Chuck didn't really know how to react, but all he knew was that he didn't want to see the older blonde smile that smile at anyone else. _

"_That's all nice for the warm and fuzzies, Rahhh-leigh." Chuck drawled, hoping that the dim orange sunlight hid his growing blush from the blonde. "But with the way this war's been going, I'm sure that one of us is going to die down there. And you've got a hell of a lot more to live for than I do. The only person that'd even remotely miss an assholish person like me is my Father, and that's only out of familia duties." Chuck sighed, leaning against the safety railing. _

_Raleigh chuckled softly, gently resting his hand against Chuck's back in a comforting gesture. "You know that's not true." He smiled. _ 'I'd miss you greatly.' _He thought, the both of them now standing and staring off into the sunset in silence._

* * *

Chuck woke with a gasp in his escape pod, the memories of the last 24 hours flashing through his mind before coming to rest on his last words with Raleigh. He was so surprised that he was alive, that Pentecost had managed to send him shuttling out of Striker Eureka in time to save him from the brunt of the blast of the Nuclear explosion. He was thankful to know that Pentecost had chosen to save him. He caught the last bits of Pentecost's thoughts in the drift: A garbled mess of thoughts of his immenent death at the cancer that he suffered from Coyote Tango and his sadness at being unable to keep being in Mako's life. Pentecost left him with one loud concise missive afterwards. "Just Live!" he had shouted at chuck as the Australian protested the Jaeger starting his evacuation proceedures. Chuck didn't know what he could do now though, The Escape pod was damaged, and water was slowly but surely leaking in if the quiet sloshing from down near his boots was enough to go by. He had to get out of there, but the escape hatch to open the door was compromised, damaged beyond normal human strength capability. He could only hope that LOCCENT had managed to find his pod's beacon.

* * *

Mako and Raleigh snuck quietly, bare-footed to reduce any possibility of noise, to the depths of the Shatterdome, Where most of the communications and radar equipment were stored when not in use. Raleigh was just thankful Mako was so knowledgeable about the layout of the shatterdome. Sure he had lived there for most of his life, and they all had the same general layout, but there was still so much about them that he didn't know; Such as the fact that they all had separate levels below the facility. He released a breath he didn't even know he was holding as they heard other sets of footsteps echo down the hallway, letting out an indignant grunt as Mako pulled him into a nearby open room. The footsteps quickly passed by and faded off into the distance. Raleigh smiled at Mako and nodded his thanks.

"We've got to be careful. There are still a few personnel down here, it seems, and if they catch us, it won't be pretty." Mako chuckled slightly. The pair made their way quickly down the next hallway, taking a few turns before Mako held up her hand, signaling Raleigh to open the nearby door while she would take point. Raleigh nodded, quickly and quietly opening the surprisingly well-oiled heavy metal door.

"So this is the long-range radar setup?" Raleigh asked, letting out a low whistle as Mako closed the door behind him.

"Yes, I only know of this because of Dr. Newton rambling on about it a long time ago Saying something about it being the old way of detecting Kaiju emergences." Mako explained, shrugging as she walked up to one of the large archaic machines. "Apparently, they're really good at detecting things other than Kaiju though."

"Ah, so you think this will help us find out if Chuck-"

"Is alive? Yes, This has the highest chance of finding his escape pod, if it was ejected by my Father." Mako nodded, finishing Raleigh's thoughts as she was occasionally prone to doing. "Just have to figure out how to start it up." She said, sheepishly rubbing the back of her neck in her confusion as she stared at the confusing machines.

"I think it's this bit cord in the back that needs to be plugged in, Mako." Raleigh chuckled softly as he picked up the rather large power cord, plugging it into a conveniently close-by outlet. "Ya know, this seems like the kind of thing Newt would be super interested in, honestly. I wonder why he's never dug it up before." Raleigh mused, chuckling as he imagined the skinny doctor trying to move the heavy machinery around. Mako flicked him on the back of the head to snap him out of his reverie.

"This isnt' the time to be playing around in your head, Raleigh. Chuck could be dying out there." She reminded him, smirking a bit at the blush finding its way across the american's cheeks.

"I-I know that." Raleigh stammered, pouting at the small Japanese woman. She quickly tapped a few keys on the console of the radar. Suddenly the whole room lit up as the machine whirred to life, a large holo-screen popping up with a few small ticks on it to discern the cardinal directions.

"So how does this thing work?" Raleigh asked, confused.

"Apparently, this dot in the center is the Shatterdome. And it seems to go out a rather long way. 200 kilometers, it seems." She nodded, zooming in on the Shatterdome dot in the map. She pressed another button and the familiar green sweeping bar of the radar and a few small dots as it passed locations on the radar. One signal stood out stronger than the others, though.

"Can you zoom out to see where that strange blip is on the map, Mako?" Raleigh asked, hope swelling up in his heart that it might just be the Australian. Mako nodded silently with a smirk as she zoomed out, to find an approximate range of distance of the odd signal.

"It's a good 170 kilometers out to the east, in the middle of the pacific from here." She explained as she worked to get the map to encompass both the shatterdome's signal and the new signal. She could barely surpress her chuckle at the gleam in Raleigh's eyes.

They barely had time to rejoice as the door behind them swung open, the large figure of Hercules Hansen standing intimidatingly in the doorway. "What do you two think you're doin' down here?" he growled, arms crossed over his chest.

"We think we may have found Chuck alive and well, Sir." Raleigh grinned, not even embarrassed that he and Mako had been caught.

"You're kidding me, right? There's no way he could have survived Striker detonating. As much as I want to believe you, Becket, there's just no way." Herc sighed, shaking his head as he walked to grab the two pilots. Suddenly a small beeping came from the radar machine. A light flashing "Incoming communications." Caught all three pilots attention. Mako quickly pressed the answer button, and the voice surprised everyone in the room.

"LOCCENT, Please respond. This is Chuck Hansen. My escape pod is compromised, and sinking steadily. I don't know how much longer I have, but if anyone can hear this, my position is just above the location of the breach. Send a rescue troop immediately, please."

* * *

So, My new attempt at a Pacific Rim fanfiction, because there's not enough of them around. :P It'll get better, I promise.

Until then, read and review.


	2. Follow you into the dark

Follow You into the Dark

Yup. A new chapter for a new story. I'm getting really good at this whole writing a few chapters and then getting writers block, it seems. :/ but I'm doing my best, and don't fret. Work is still going on "The Prince and his Vagabond" And "the futures we leave" I promise. Slow, and painfully torturous work on my brain mostly, but it's coming along. In the meantime, I've been just enamored with Pacific rim lately, and for some absurd reason too.

Alternative Title for this chapter: "If had a world where I could never see you, I'd rather be blind."

* * *

Herc's heart stopped as he heard his son's voice echo through the rather sparsely decorated old room, before he suddenly spun on his heel to leave the room, barking orders into his cell phone, no doubt with Tendo on the other side of the line. Raleigh didn't know what to be more impressed with, the fact that it took him so long to leave the room a whirlwind of activity, or that Tendo answered immediately. Mako simply stood a bit speechless at the spectacle of it all.

"We should get going too, before the Marshall has a chance to remember that we were supposed to be in trouble." Raleigh chuckled sheepishly, with Mako nodding dumbly a bit as she worked to process what had just happened.

"We seemed to have dodged the bullet." She said simply as they worked their way to the express lift up to the main levels. Raleigh took a quick sideways glance at her and chuckled. She shot a glare at him for his laugh, suddenly back to the normal no-nonsense Mako he was used to now that she had a chance to make a game plan for what was about to greet them as they worked their way up to LOCCENT.

The pair was still definitely not prepared for the wall of noise to bear down on them as they arrived at their destination. Tendo was ordering multiple medivac squads out to Chuck's newly acquired position, having just now gotten the distress signal, albeit a rather weak one, from the escape pod. Raleigh wasn't expecting a hard pat on the back from the Marshall as he passed by barking orders into a headset on his ear. "I owe you guys." He mouthed quickly as he went back to making sure his son would be rescued.

Raleigh was still slightly in shock as well. All his hoping and wishing that Chuck was still alive had proven to be worth his time after all. He was appropriately conflicted though about it all. On the one hand, yes, he was terribly and irrevocably smitten with the young Hansen. On the other, he knew the other man still didn't like him for leaving the Jeager program all those years ago. And all of a sudden, he knew he had to be away from the hustle and bustle of the whole place; securely back in his room where all the noise couldn't bother him until he knew Chuck was safe. He bolted quickly out of LOCCENT and back to the pseudo-barracks that he had grown to call home in the Hong-Kong shatterdome, still ever thankful that almost all of the buildings held the same layout.

"_Kid…I want you to listen to me… I want you to…." _ Yancy's last words echoed in his head loudly as he knew what his brother was going to say next. _"Stay Calm and we can deal with this." _ He was about to say before Knifehead had so suddenly ripped him out of the Conn-pod, out of Raleigh's brain and still in the drift. He didn't want to relive those moments, but sometimes the stress and panic caused the ghost-drift's to show up at the worst possible times. It was all Raleigh could do to make himself sit on the edge of his bed, head cradled in his hands as he took one deep breath after another. He knew Mako was watching him from the doorframe that he never managed to close, providing her own form of comfort to block him from the view of the open hallway while still leaving him the option of leaving the small room for a more open area.

Mako smiled softly as she watched over Raleigh, well aware that these sorts of episodes weren't something that anyone else should be privy to. The drift had taught her all she needed to know about Raleigh's anxiety, and his rather ironic claustrophobia; which she was thankful for, because it let her look out for her friend without him needing to say a word. Every time someone would approach the room due to hearing Raleigh's rather controlled sobs and whines, she would gently and rather expertly sidetrack them to go do something else.

"He's alive, Mako." Raleigh choked out. "And I don't know what I can do."

* * *

He was fading in and out of consciousness as he heard the telltale sounds of helicopters approaching his location, not that he could hear much else than the sound of waves from outside the escape pod, and occasionally the sound of water sloshing about inside the pod. He groaned as the loud noise got louder and while he was glad that they had managed to hear his MADAY broadcast, he had at semi-consciously wished that they could have used all their technical advancements from the Jaeger project to make helicopter's quieter, at the least. It wasn't until they had pried the hinges off the escape pod's door that he was suddenly extremely glad to see any other human being for once in his life. The last thing he managed to hear was a muffled "Thank god we got to him in time." From one of the medical crew.

Weeks had passed, and they finally gave the green to visit Chuck in the medical bay. Not that the Aussie was showing he was glad for the other human interaction, because he was secretly glad they let other people in –The whole White-garbed doctor and nurse thing was just getting old. It wasn't until his father had left him, all somber nods and pregnant silences, that he had noticed a figure pacing just outside the window. He had a feeling he knew who it was, but he figured he'd amuse the blond by acting surprised.

The door creaked open slowly, the heavy footsteps of Raleigh's boots echoing in the empty room. Chuck wasn't all that surprised when he took a nearby chair, avoiding looking at him. "I guess I should at least thank ya, _Rahhleigh."_ Chuck sighed, wishing that he could just not say any of this to the blonde. "if it wasn't for you fiddling with that old equipment, My father wouldn't have known I was alive and I might have just died out there."

Raleigh nodded silently, occasionally stealing a glance over at the annoyed ginger. He couldn't help the small lopsided smile that was creeping it's way on to his face as he noticed the blush on the Australian's cheeks. "It's really nothing to be so bashful about, Hansen." He teased, actively dodging the pillow the Aussie had thrown his way immediately. He smiled softly, silence overcoming the two of them, but a welcome silence of the words left unsaid.

They sat in silence for a little over an hour, occasionally making a small quip or insulting one another, until the nurses quietly stepped in and advised Raleigh that visiting hours were over and they'd be the same times tomorrow. He stood, stretching languidly as he looked over the various cuts, burns, and broken limbs the Australian had gotten from the blast. He swallowed the lump in his throat, before awkwardly waving goodbye and heading out the door.

"See you tomorrow, Raleigh?" Chuck blushed as the words left his mouth, determined to keep his gaze out the window to the steady waves of the pacific ocean. He even forgot his typical drawl on Raleigh's name that he used specifically for agitating the other Ranger, even though if anyone else spoke the blonde's name like that so-help-him-god they'd be eating out of a tube for weeks. He was so determined to not look over at Raleigh that he didn't see him beam brightly even in the ever dimming sunset.

A few more weeks had passed the same way, with Chuck pretending he didn't care Raleigh was being so friendly, and Raleigh reminding the Australian more and more of a Golden retriever. At some point, Raleigh had brought in an old DVD player at the indignant scoff of the Australian that he had never been a movie person.

"That can be changed." Raleigh had grinned widely, bounding off quickly with promises that he'd be back shortly. Chuck rolled his eyes, muttering something about a lost puppy and how he suddenly realized why Max had liked the blonde so much from the get-go.

Raleigh had come back with his DVD player and a couple of movies and tv-shows that he was sure Chuck hadn't seen before. _When did I become such a Girl, Yance? _ Raleigh had found himself thinking as he walked back to Medical with his stuff. The thought surprised him, of course, and sure he knew he was smitten with the Australian, but damn if he wasn't showing it in the most obvious way possible and it embarrassed him suddenly. When he walked back in and showcased the movies to the Aussie he had to forcibly beat down the blush that threatened to rise in him when Chuck decided to wink at him when he told him to choose.

Chuck could have sworn he could hear Raleigh's heart stop at the playful wink. Sure he had been cocky as hell, but he was also still pushing the waters with the new friendship he and Raleigh had started. He never expected the blonde to be as, well, eloquent as he was. Sure he could tell that the blonde was talking slower than normal, trying to place each word with care as to project the right meaning.

His last thoughts before the nurse ushered Raleigh out of his room was a very content _"I could get used to this."_

* * *

The new marshal paced in his office as the new news reached him, both of Chuck's recovery and of the sudden increase of activity with the Kaiju Cults. He had hoped they would be put down with the closing of the breach, but it seems that saving the world from those monsters only made the cults redouble their attempts to try to ruin all the peace in the world. Some of them were even apparently resorting to some sorts of "Magic" they had called it to try to open another breach and welcome their Kaiju messiahs. Hercules Hansen had never been one to believe in the concept of magic, but with the fanaticism of the cults, he figured it might just be a viable threat to the peace of the world. Not right this instant, no, but it had the potential to really mess with everything in the long run. He figured he should start sending out missives to all of his rangers to start back up on training, but instead of fighting Kaiju, they would be training to take out human targets. Just in case push came to shove.

A soft knock at the door to his office jolted the large man out of his thoughts, shaking his head as he called a very non-committal "come in." He didn't expect to see Mako Mori making her presence in his office so suddenly, but by the way that she held her tablet, he knew she had something important.

"I have no doubt you're aware of the recent surge of activity of the Kaiju Cults, sir." She started, each word calm, precise, calculated. At Herc's nod she continued. "I'm also sure you've already thought of training the current rangers to be ready in case they should be attacked, correct?" She inquired, gaze never leaving the new marshal's face.

"It's definitely crossed my mind, actually. I'd rather my rangers be ready for action if the Kaiju cultists decide to attack them on the streets someday. It's not going to be easy, but maybe we can finally work towards the peace this world deserves. And if we have to fight the UN every step of the way, then I'll fight them. I have a duty to protect these rangers, and by god I'll perform that duty to every ounce of my ability." Herc nodded, proud of his small speech despite the fact that only Mako was privy to it. He frowned, realizing he had put too much bravado on for a simple discussion.

"That's what I thought, sir. Therefore I've put a list together of things we'd need and who the best people to get them from would be. As well as made a budgeting plan of the remaining funds from the Jaeger program. Although I think you should come up with a new name for us, since we'll be dealing with more than just the pacific now." Mako explained, handing Herc the tablet and hiding her small smile as the marshal's eyes widened at just how well prepared she was.

"The GDSC." Herc said suddenly, a grim expression on his face as he imagined what was in store for them now that they had to accept that this change was more than just superficial and asthetics. There were so many Kaiju cults out there, and so little of his rangers. He hated the idea of having to draw new people into the new fight, but it couldn't be helped at this point. "The Global Domestic Security Committee." He was momentarily amused that Mako had given him a very approving nod at the new name.

And with that, it was like the world was ending all over again.

* * *

So there you have it. My next chapter in this rather interesting fic. It's proving itself to be a strange mix of occasional OOC moments, which I apologize for, but in the character's defense, they had just cancelled the apocalypse and have a reason to be a little bit out of it. About Raleigh's breakdown, I expected him to be a lot less stable than he is in most of the fanfics I read on here, and I gave him slight anxiety issues and a bit of Claustrophobia, to match with Yancy being taken away from him so suddenly and the fact that to him, the Conn-Pod seems more like a coffin than a giant robot.

And yes. There is going to be quite a bit of Chaleigh/Raluck fluff involved, because dammit those two are too cute. Anyway, Yes. THERE IS A PLOT, I PROMISE. And it thickens. but thank you guys for reading this. :D


	3. If only because dust is what we come to

If only because Dust is what we come to.

Yes. I am well aware that I'm updating this story rather fast. And that's only because this plot bunny has been sitting in my mind since it started and it won't go away until I've seen this through long enough for the bunnies to go away. So sorry guys, if you don't like pacific rim, but that's kind of what my mind has stuck me into. :P

So without further ado. Let's go. Kudos if you get the title reference.

* * *

The next few days found the Shatterdome in a rather interesting combination of Busy and lazy at the same time. The busy ones were actually really only the Marshal and his personal assistant Mako. Though today seemed like a start of days of firsts, based on the way that one very perplexed Newton Geizler approached Raleigh as he was on his way with a new DVD to Chuck's new personal part of the medical ward.

"How do you do it man?" Newt had asked him in that all too chipper and still-in-puberty voice that he was too used to by this point. "I-I mean being all sweet on Chuck, don't get me wrong he's perfectly fine really nothing against him, without getting your face rearranged?" Newt had blushed a bit at that, muttering something about Theoreticals and how he wishes he could just live with his Kaiju specimens, and how a certain mathematician may or may not have had something to do with his current dilemma.

"I honestly don't know, Newt; as much as I'd like to help you with your little theoretical issue." He chuckled, patting the perturbed scientist on the back as he continued to his destination, his mind not all there. _ I really don't know how I'm managing to be all buddy-buddy with a guy who had just recently hated my guts. It's actually kind of nice. _Raleigh found himself thinking, He had a bad habit of not thinking enough when he was with Chuck, and he was sure it would get him in trouble sooner or later. Hopefully later. He had to quickly stuff the rapidly careening-off-course thoughts back where they came from as he raised a fist to knock on Chuck's door. His knuckle didn't even make contact before he heard the muffled "Come in!" of the typically angry Aussie.

To say he was shocked at Chuck's current state of recovery was an understatement. They had said it would take him almost a whole month of Physical Therapy to walk again, and Chuck, being the fighter that he was, was managing it in a couple of weeks; with help from his rather constant companion now of course, though neither man would admit it to the nurses. The nurses had already set aside a small cot in the room on the off chance that Raleigh would doze off in the room with the ginger. Chuck had to shoo them away as they cooed and giggled over the blonde's sleeping form the first time.

* * *

Imagine Chuck's consternation though, the first day the medical staff had told him he wasn't allowed to bring Max into the room at all until he was healed. Raleigh just chuckled at Chuck's rather blatantly offended face as they tried to soothe his anger to no avail. Raleigh simply placed a hand on the ginger's shoulder calmly and smiled his awkward lopsided smile at the younger man and he seemed to calm down. He saw the small glint of trust flash through Chuck's expression as he offered the younger occupant of the room his opinion on how it was good the old bulldog wasn't making the doctors trip. Raleigh wondered why the Australian man suddenly listened to his opinion so suddenly, mind wandering to some of the most asinine ideas he could come up with, just to irritate the other as he threw them out into the open with a chuckle.

"I swear you've been replaced by an alien or something, Chuck." He blurted out one day, deftly dodging the swipe at his mid-calf that was awating him by the Australian sitting on the floor in front of him watching the TV absently. Chuck had suddenly decided the floor in front of Raleigh was more comfortable than the admittedly high-end hospital beds that the shatterdome was equipped with. The pair were watching a show that Raleigh had already seen before but Chuck seemed to be completely engrossed with it, which let the blonde wander with his thoughts. Neither of the two noticed a few sets of eyes watching them from a rather well placed window.

"How the hell is this fair?" Newt pouted, yelping as Hermann swatted him with his cane.

"We'll figure out if we keep watching and you keep your loud mouth shut, Dr. Geizler." Hermann scowled, rolling his eyes at Newt's puppy eyes. Mako couldn't help but stifle a giggle at the two scientists as she investigated the rather domesticated scene in the medical room.

"I've never seen Ranger Hansen so at ease before. " She chuckled, making a mental note to ask Raleigh about it next time the two practiced in the Kwoon.

"It's like Chuck has been replaced with an alien. A creepily domestic alien." Newt mused, tapping his chin as the possibilities flashed through his rather unique way of thinking. "It would make perfect sense actually."

"It's much simpler than that, Dr. Geizler." Mako chuckled, smiling a bit more openly as she had figured it out.

"_He just makes me happy, and I guess somehow, I've become his anchor after all that's happened." _Raleigh muses to himself inside the room, acutely aware of the fact that he had watchers, but not paying them any mind, because Chuck would have noticed if they were any threat to his wellbeing. He never noticed the point at which Chuck became courageous enough to lean all of his weight back against Raleigh's legs. All Raleigh new was that it made him much happier than such a small gesture should.

* * *

A few more weeks had passed and Chuck was let out of Medical with strict instructions to take it easy for a few more days for the stitches and left-over bruises to heal. Raleigh didn't know whether he should be happy or upset, because he figured Chuck would go back to his same old assholish self. He was surprised to see Chuck knocking on his door at 2 in the morning one day, his shirt all disheveled and pants a bit off one side of his hip.

"Can't sleep. A bit of a nightmare." He said, awkwardly trying to hide the blush on his cheeks. Raleigh simply pulled the blanket on his bed a bit further back in a half-asleep welcoming gesture, not even fully realizing what he was offering to the younger man. He simply wrapped his arm around the younger Australian, and for the first time he realized that Chuck is still almost a kid forced to grow up too soon. And he doesn't want anything to ruin that innocence as long as he can help it.

Morning comes, and Chuck wakes up earlier than usual. Partly because he doesn't feel familiar with the room he's in, also partly because there was a pleasant warmth radiating behind him that made him have to shuffle his shirt off to keep himself comfortable. And that was all the confirmation he needed. _I'm so in love with him. When the hell did this happen? _He thought to himself as he closed his eyes and listened to the soft and even breathing of the blonde whose bed he was currently sharing. _ At least he didn't try to do anything to take advantage of the situation. I'd have to kill him. Or dad would. _He inadvertently snickered at the thought, causing Raleigh to shift a bit, bumping at one of the bruises on his side and causing Chuck to wince in pain. _This must be Karma._ He grumped in his head as he adjusted his position to make sure the like never happened again.

Raleigh smiled to himself as he had woken up at Chuck's shifting around, gazing sleepily at the Australian man snuggled into his arms. He hated to use the word cute to refer to the Australian, anyone with a sense of self-preservation would really, but the word slipped out before his mind had time to filter. He wasn't ready for the rather solid punch the smaller man could throw from such an awkward position.

"Don't call meh Cute." Chuck grumped underneath the blankets when Raleigh finally caught his breath from the surprise. It didn't stop Raleigh calling him cute more often than not in his head.

Raleigh didn't know how many days passed like that, with Chuck sheepishly knocking on his door at the hours even before twilight and having some issue sleeping. Raleigh suspected that he just wanted to spend time with him, but he figured he could be wrong because he's been wrong before.

* * *

The next few weeks brought more firsts. Chuck had asked Raleigh out on a date, much to the surprise to everyone alive in the Shatterdome. Raleigh suspected that even the ghosts that may or may not have been drifting around would be surprised as Chuck had blurted it out in the middle of the mess hall, after careful poking and prodding by a very insistent blonde.

"Hey Rals." Chuck called, giving his usual gruff attitude a bit of a fix-up anytime he was around the blonde. It didn't go unnoticed at all. "You think you want to go get some better food? I'm kinda tired of this slop and the new recruits aren't around yet to torture." He murmured, blushing a bit as he fiddled with a loose string on his jacket. Raleigh had to say, he never knew he could easily deal with seeing chuck in a cargo-vest, but it suited him. He'd have to ask what all kinds of wondrous things were hidden in those pockets, but part of him probably didn't want to know.

"Is this a request for a date, Hansen?" Raleigh smirked, just wanting to push the younger man's buttons the right way.

"Fuck you, Becket." Chuck frowned, turning to spin away and stalk off, but the fifty-something pound bulldog sat in his way and he couldn't effectively storm or stalk off with Max in the way like that. He'd look rather silly. "Yes. I'm asking you on a date, ya git." He blushed, almost speaking under his breath.

"I didn't quite catch that, Hansen. You're gonna have to speak up. My hearing's not what it used to be." Raleigh grinned widely, doing a few congratulatory laps in his head that he didn't just jump up and scream yes at the first possible account. _Small victories, I guess. _He had told himself as he forced himself back to paying attention to the now crimson-faced Aussie.

"Will you go out to dinner with me, Raleigh?!" Chuck suddenly shouted, scowling at the American. "There, is that bloody loud enough for you stupid hearing?" He sulked, quickly working to get away from the eerily quiet mess hall. He didn't hear the whole mess hall explode in applause and cheers, both for Raleigh and Chuck. The aussie was too busy distancing himself from the American that had filled his recent thoughts.

Raleigh sighed as he searched the halls for his date for the evening, wearing his favorite blue sweater. "Chuck, Where are you? Max misses you." He called out, hoping that the bulldog's name was enough to get Chuck to at least peek his head out a door or something, but to no success. He wasn't ready for the full force of a rather furious Australian to barrel into his side in a full tackle.

"You're a fuckin' ass! You had me humiliate myself in front of the entire god damned building!" Chuck shouted, furiously pounding every few syllables into Raleigh's stomach and sides. Anywhere he could get a good hit really. "And now I can't even go anywhere without someone giving me some strange damn look, and it's pissing me off. I don't know why I even asked you on it anymore, arsehole." Chuck didn't know what to expect when Raleigh took all of his hits, and quickly pulled him into a tight hug, chuckling the whole time.

"Chuck, those looks people are giving you are looks of jealousy." Raleigh explained, smiling at the Aussie. "Because you get to have me all to yourself on this date, taking away my whole 'eligible bachelor' thing I apparently had going. Plus you ran off and hid so fast I never had time to tell you that: Yes. I will go on a date with you, Chuck Hansen." Raleigh winked.

"We should get up and find a place to eat then." Chuck pouted, sulked really, but Raleigh gently carded his fingers through the ginger hair and smiled. He wasn't ready for when Chuck suddenly wrapped arms around his waist, a pair of warm lips crashing against his own in a desperate plea for forgiveness. It wasn't the most graceful of first kisses, but it did leave both parties breathless.

"We definitely need to get to a more private place before doing that again." Raleigh mused, grinning widely as Chuck lightly batted at his face in response.

"Sorry Rals." Chuck had managed to stammer out a few minutes later as they found a pizza place they could just order delivery from and sat on Raleigh's bed watching a movie.

Needless to say, the next few days found Chuck with a few sets of interesting bruises in even more interesting and unexplainable places, most of the time with his hair messed up and a dazed look in his eyes.

* * *

Things were progressing smoothly at the shatterdome when the first bit of new recruits had all piled in, like a sad clown car routine in reverse, Raleigh remembers Chuck quipping, earning the young man an elbow to the ribs. After a few introductions, Chuck stormed off to find his father and figure out the meaning of the new people. Raleigh feels he should follow close behind and play the "Reduce collateral damage" game that he had suddenly gotten so good at in the few days following Chuck's official date status.

As he approached the office he could hear Herc and Chuck arguing. With those two though, it wasn't arguing so much as it was a bullheaded man talking to a slightly older, more bullheaded man.

"What do you mean we're going to have to train for anti-personnel tactics now? I thought we were all good and done when the breach was closed." Chuck shouted, clearly outraged.

"Mako and I have witnessed a few incidents of the old Kaiju worshipping cults popping up on the news. And if we want to get any funds to keep the Shatterdome up and running, then we've gotta have something to do with it, so we created the GDSC." Herc explained, his voice just as gravelly as it used to be.

"But why can't they just get the local police to do that? Isn't that good enough?" Chuck all but whined. _Still a child, for sure. _Raleigh mused and chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"Because, it's more that the police can't prove it was the Kaiju cults and we can. We were trained to fight the Kaiju, and we can easily put that training to take down the rest of the cults. If we don't, who knows what those kind of stark-raving lunatics might try to do to open the breach. If we're not careful, they'll get cocky, try to assassinate any one of us 'god-killing heretics' as they've called us before." Herc said sternly, as he stared his son dead in the eye. "And I don't want that happening to anyone here. I've told Mako and I'll tell you. I've got a duty to everyone in this shatterdome to protect their lives. We need to take the fight to them before we wind up dead."

Chuck closed his mouth somberly, nodding at his father as he saluted out of reflex, a Yessir escaping his lips as he went to leave the office, barely noticing Raleigh standing in the hallway. Raleigh caught his hand, lacing their fingers together and giving a reaffirming squeeze as they walked back to their room. Herc idly thought to himself that he'd have to give the kid some sort of award in patience sometime. Not publicly of course, and went back to organizing the game plan Mako had laid out before him, making calls and authorizing money transfers. The GDSC should have its supply of armor and weapons before long and the training could begin.

Herc really hoped that it didn't come down to the nightmare's he'd been having the past few days. Especially since that nightmare involved an assassination on his only son. Herc could only sigh in relief when he had learned that his boy had something special with the Becket boy, and for that he was more than thankful. He knew Raleigh would protect his son to the death.

He just hoped it never came to that either.

* * *

Yeah. A long, fluff-filled third chapter in three days. It's stuck in my head, so shush you. I've been doing waaaay too much reading and this is the general result. I can't help it if Chuck and Raleigh are OOC here, it's because I imagine Chuck being around Raleigh after surviving Operation Pitfall would lead to Raleigh being Chuck's newfound emotional anchor and therefore end up being a lot more open with him. And yes, there are so many timeskips because this started out as a "Slice of Life" Idea, detailing an unknown time period in the lives of Chuck and Raleigh as they cope with the end of the war, but then the thickening plot decided to jump out and I decided to keep it to a coherent slice of life fic. Sue me if you want, but I'm broke as shit.

But yeah, hooray for a third chapter. Hope you guys enjoy it because it took me quite a bit of time to actually figure out where I wanted to end it.


	4. We feel so much but can't say a word

We feel so much but we can't say a word.

NEW CHAPTER TIME! WOO!

Also known as "In which there is much fluff and not much actual plot."

* * *

The first day of new recruit training had started, and Herc had put Raleigh in charge of it, against the blonde American's rather loud protests and his own son's muffled laughter. Something along the lines of "Raleigh Fucking Becket training recruits! How fuckin' rich!" he had grinned, howling with laughter as he clutched at his sides, dutifully ignoring the dark glower that was thrown at him by the larger blonde.

It was no surprise that by time training day came around, Raleigh was finding every excuse to use Chuck as his practice dummy, which had led to Chuck confronting him after the training was over and the rest of the group had left for the showers or mess hall. "The fuck, Rals?" Chuck scowled, easily pinning the other man against the wall nearby. It only served to infuriate the Aussie because he knew the other man could easily have reversed the whole situation, but only kept the same god damned grin on his face the whole time.

"You're resilient, and I don't want to hurt any of the new recruits, Chuckles." Raleigh retorted, smirking down at the Australian as he leaned his head down, resting his forehead against the others. He grunted a bit at the playful punch to his stomach, his smirk turning into a full blown grin as Chuck pouted at him.

"Don't fuckin' call me that, _Rah_leigh." Chuck scowled, shaking his head as he closed the distance between his lips and the American's, the kiss not desperate, but not really apologetic. More a thing they did now when one or the other needed confirmation that yes, they were really alive and really this. _Whatever this is. _Chuck mused as he felt Raleigh wrap his strong arms around his waist, pulling him close to hug him tight. _It's definitely worth all of the trouble._

* * *

The next few weeks continued at a slow and steady pace. Training was going so much better than Raleigh or Chuck expected. Every so often, Mako would join in on the training sessions, or even have a Kwoon spar with Raleigh. She more than proved that her previous talent at being chosen by Raleigh for copilot wasn't just a fluke. "4 to 3, Mako wins." Chuck had announced with a rather mischevious smirk as he looked at the heap that was Raleigh laying on the mat and staring wide-eyed at the ceiling.

Chuck couldn't help himself. Watching the much smaller woman hand Raleigh his ass with such ease and that happy little smirk on her face struck something in him that just made him that much happier that he could tell himself Raleigh isn't totally perfect at everything and that he was just human enough for Chuck's taste. Whatever that happened to be. He suspected that it was really only the taste of Raleigh. And god if he didn't feel like a girl for thinking that. _Now I need to grab my gun and shoot a small animal to feel like a man again. _Chuck grimaced, shaking his head.

"You okay, Chuck?" Raleigh had taken the spot against the wall next to the Aussie and nudged him with his shoulder, knowing the younger male hated open acts of affection. He noticed how Chuck had brushed his hand against his own, and smiled warmly. He didn't know what to call what he and Chuck were, but it was definitely right. In its own odd and rather baffling way.

"M'Yeah." Chuck murmured quietly, leaning his head against Raleigh's shoulder. And with that Raleigh knew this was definitely love.

* * *

They never understood what was going on between them, or why silence didn't affect the other when they were together the way it did apart. It was all really comforting. A lazy day in bed, each in some state of dishabille or dishevelment brought the thoughts bubbling out of Raleigh's mouth; another one of those "Brain Filter doesn't work quick enough" moments.

"So, I've been thinking…" Raleigh started, giving a little pout at the younger man when Chuck grumbled a comment about how that was dangerous for the blonde. Raleigh jabbed him in the ribs with his elbow playfully. "About us, doofus. What are we?" he asked, words spilling out of his mouth before he could register Chuck's feigned indifference.

"We are us. Chuck Hansen and Raleigh Beckett. Two people who saved the world and enjoy each other's company." He shrugged, trying to push away the feeling of discomfort as he started to dwell on the thought. Chuck Hansen wasn't poetic, but this was as close as he was going to get. Raleigh suspected he should be glad he gets a completely different treatment from the Aussie than anyone else in the shatterdome.

"Yeah, but do we have an official name for it, or are we just something special." He chuckled. "Cause I swear I'm the only person you're not all Snark and Hate with." He laughed, ignoring Chuck's low grumble again as the Australian buried his face deeper into Raleigh's chest in an attempt to get him to shut up.

"I guess the layman's term would be Boyfriends, _Rah_leigh." Chuck smirked up at him, enjoying the shellshocked look on the American's face, wishing that he had a camera or something with him to capture that look for eternity.

_Hm. Eternity. I could definitely get used to this for that long. _Chuck mused to himself as he trailed kisses down Raleigh's chest, between his abs, and ever so slowly southward. He never knew Raleigh could be such a loud one with the way he always kept quiet.

* * *

"I swear to fuck you're domesticating me, Becket." Chuck had all but snarled at dinner one day, slamming his tray of food down onto the table across from the bemused-looking American. Sometimes he couldn't stand that cocky smirk or the way Raleigh quirked his eyebrow ever so slightly to make it look part-amused-part-smug. Okay, so he really didn't hate it all that much as he didn't like what it did to him sometimes, especially since Raleigh had grown so fond of adopting that specific expression whenever Chuck did something civil and human in public.

Raleigh knew the nice and civil side of his boyfriend was reserved only for his private company only, but that didn't mean that he didn't enjoy giving the younger man a whole bunch of shit for his tendency to let his civility out in public every now and then. "Oh? Whatever could you mean, Pumpkin?" Raleigh had to bite back a peal of laughter at Chuck's darkening scowl.

"I almost said Good Job to Newton during the Gun Range practice today. It's all your fault, asshole." Chuck scowled. "At this rate, my reputation is going to go well down the drain." He sighed, poking at the meatloaf on his tray with a pout. Chuck seemed to be pouting a lot lately, and most of the time around Raleigh.

Raleigh chuckled softly and rolled his eyes. "Oh yeah, one word of praise and you're suddenly all buddy buddy and puppies and rainbows." He grinned, leaning down to give Max a scratch behind the ears at the dog's seeming indignant woof. "Less the puppies, more the rainbows, according to Max." he laughed.

Chuck glared down at his dog as the bulldog maneuvered himself to lay in Raleigh's lap, making himself content and snoozing away. "Damn traitorous dog." He scowled. It didn't stop him from playing footsie with Raleigh underneath the table with a playful grin on his face.

Raleigh could get used to those loving smiles and those mischevious grins on his boyfriends face every so often, if only he could tell what new and interesting things each look could bring.

* * *

It had been a rather hot day in the Hong Kong shatterdome, and Raleigh couldn't find his boyfriend anywhere. He was startled to see Max trot up to him, a piece of paper wedged into his collar. He pulled it out and read it, idly rubbing Max's stomach. The messy scrawl on the paper was definitely Chuck's writing.

/_Still_ _mad at you. Don't come looking./_ it read, though Raleigh knew that the Aussie couldn't stay mad at him. He quickly wrote a reply, pretending to act hurt as he wrote but barely containing his giggles.

Needless to say Chuck was surprised when Max came trotting back into the mechanical bay as he was working on cleaning out the .45 that he was given to carry, permit and all, and putting it back together. The piece of paper in his collar didn't go un-noticed.

/_well, if you don't get un-mad at me, there'll be no sex for a few weeks./_ The note read, and Chuck unconsciously pouted, ignoring Max's whine and putting the gun back together. He thought he could deal without the mind-blowing sex for a few weeks, just because he was mad at the American. Thinking back on it, he shouldn't be as angry as he was, but it was the principle of the thing.

_Chuck moaned lightly as he adjusted in his sleep, nuzzling closer to the beacon of warmth that was his boyfriend in their bed. All was well in Chuck-land in his head, until a rather painful elbow to the face woke him out of his stupor. "What the actual shit, Becket!?" he had snarled, quickly jumping out of the bed, still completely nude after their rather unscrupulous activities hours before. He poked at his face to make sure nothing was bruised or severely damaged. "Couldn't ya have at least elbowed me in the stomach or something?" _

"_Mrh. But then how could I make all those fun jokes about how you like to hit during sex?" Raleigh murmured, still mostly asleep and only responsive because the loss of the form of his boyfriend snuggled against him made him cold. "Sorry I hit you in your selling point." He murmured, yet another of the brain-filter-failure moments he was getting so adept at._

"_Fuck You Becket." Chuck growled as he threw on a pair of shorts and stalked out of the shared room, his thankfulness that his father had put their new room near the local gym an afterthought at this point._

_It had taken a little over 10 minutes for Raleigh to come shambling into the gym with a box of Tim Tams, and a look on his face like Chuck had just kicked his puppy. _

"_I'm sorry, babe." He blushed, holding out the Tim tams in a silent offer to be forgiven. Chuck snatched them out of his hand and glowered at the American. "I was mostly asleep and not thinking. I seem to be getting pretty good at that." He murmured, chewing on his lower lip in worry. _

_The rather heartfelt apology and bribery only slightly made up for the fact that now Chuck had a bruised cheek and a sore jaw. He crossed his arms and turned his head in disdain. "hmph. I guess you're forgiven for now. As long as I get to be on top this time." He grinned. It didn't take Raleigh long to figure out what the Australian meant. _

Chuck sighed. He better go apologize to his boyfriend before he regretted it. Maybe he could work something out with the blonde to have joint custody on the top-position from this point out.

_Yup. Definitely smitten with that adorable bastard._ Chuck thought to himself with a dopey smile as he quickly made his way to the room he and the blonde shared. He wasn't expecting the blonde to be dozing off with his book forgotten on his chest. Chuck woke him up with one of the best ways he knew how.

Given the way Raleigh moaned and whimpered, he could tell he was doing a good job.

_Definitely in love._ Chuck thought as his work had paid off, snuggling into his boyfriend. _I still can't get used to that word though. Boyfriend._

* * *

Fluff Galore? Yes. Shameless? Definitely. am I ashamed? Not at all.


End file.
